Battle of Mount Tifata | |||||||
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Part of Sulla's Second Civil War | |||||||
Sulla Coin | |||||||
| |||||||
Belligerents | |||||||
Optimates | Populares | ||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Lucius Cornelius Sulla[1] | Gaius Norbanus[1] | ||||||
Strength | |||||||
40,000[1] | 60,000[1] | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
124 killed[1] |
7.000 killed[1] 6.000 captured[1] | ||||||
The Battle of Mount Tifata was fought in 83 BC as part of Sulla's Second Civil War.[1]
History
It was fought in the foothills of Mount Tifata,[1] a spur of the Apennines,[2] close to the River Vulturnus, and is alternatively known as the Battle of Casilinum.[1] The location of the battle suggests that Sulla was moving on Capua.[1] The Optimate forces were led by Lucius Cornelius Sulla and his officer Quintus Caecilius Metellus, while the Populares were led by Gaius Norbanus.[1] The battle started when Sulla “immediately attacked” Norbanus, even though Velleius claims Norbanus attacked Sulla.[1] As an army under Scipio was currently moving to support Norbanus it is likely that Sulla attacked Norbanus by surprise before he could link up with Scipio.[1] In total Scipio's and Norbanus’ armies numbered 100,000 as compared to at most 40,000 under Sulla.[1] At Mount Tifata, Sulla had the bulk of his army with him, while Norbanus commanded 60,000 men (the rest were with Scipio). Sulla was victorious.[1][2] Afterwards Sulla besieged Norbanus in Capua.[1]
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 Sampson, Gareth C. (2013-09-09). "6". The collapse of Rome : Marius, Sulla and the first Civil War, 91-70 BC. Barnsley, South Yorkshire. pp. Mostly section: Battle of Mount Tifata (Casilinum). ISBN 9781473826854. OCLC 893910287.
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: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - 1 2 Beesley, A. H. (2017). The Gracchi, Marius and Sulla. Pinnacle Press.